Rudd hangs up his boots

Whitehaven half-back Carl Rudd is to hang up his boots after helping the Cumbrians earn promotion from Championship 1.

Rudd, 29, has been plagued by a knee problem throughout his career, having nine operations, and has now decided he will be unable to meet the fitness requirements for next season.

Former team-mate Gregg McNally, now at Leigh, tweeted: “(He’ll be a) big miss for Whitehaven next season, great player even better bloke.”

Rudd, who joined Whitehaven in 2004 and is second in the club’s all-time goalkicking list, is expected to remain at the Recre in an off-field capacity.